The pain of drug courier

SIR: It is no longer news that four Nigerians have been executed in Indonesia for drug related offences.

Experts have identified reasons for drug trafficking as peer pressure, weak parental control, child abuse, imitation, emotional stress, the availability of the drugs and the ineffectiveness of the laws on drug trafficking.

On the other hand, most Nigerian movie stars, musicians and their likes have not set good example to youths giving the way and manner some of them abuse drugs in their films and in reality.

“This writer believes that idleness contributed to drug peddling. When youths are jobless, there is the temptation to occupy themselves with not only drug trafficking but other illegal acts. A lot of youths are restive, and this can make them to commit crimes such as drug trafficking and other drug related offences. The way out of the menace is simply through provision of employment so as to productively engage the youths.”

Gainful employment would give youths a focus and discourage them from committing crimes.

There is also the need to provide orientation for the youths and review school curriculum, placing less emphasis on paper qualification and ensuring vocational training. There should be re-orientation in primary and secondary schools as well as tertiary institutions.

The use of public enlightenment programmes to sensitise the youths to the dangers of drug trafficking by government parastatals, private organisations and different youth movements would go a long way in minimizing drug related activities carried out by youths. If the war on drug abuse and trafficking would be won, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) must be well funded. There is need for better awareness creation on the evils of illicit drug use and merchandising.

Moreover, the legal framework requires strengthening to ensure that those involved in illicit drug trade are adequately punished to serve as deterrents.

Youths should be watchful and careful on the type of activities individuals lured them into. There are lots of entrepreneurship programmes we could learn from and you could establish a small or medium enterprise to start from, as patience is key to success.

Giaddo Shuaib
Abuja, FCT

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